governor rajendra vishwanath arlekar

MDMK General Secretary Vaiko was detained for leading a protest against Tamil Nadu governor rajendra vishwanath arlekar. The protest was in response to Thiruvalluvar being depicted in saffron robes, a move criticized by various political parties as an attempt to saffronize the poet and distort his legacy.

A portrait of Thiruvallur with saffron robe was kept at Lok Bhavan to celebrate Vaikasi Anusham.

Announcing the result, Keralam Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said, "I am announcing the result of the election. Mohammed Muhsin (LDF) secured 34 votes, while Shanimol Usman (UDF) received 99 votes. Four members abstained from voting, including the Speaker. I did not cast my vote. I hereby declare Shanimol Usman elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly."

During a Tamil Nadu Cabinet expansion, Governor Arlekar cautioned Congress MLA S. Rajesh Kumar to adhere strictly to the written oath after he deviated to praise party leaders. Kumar, along with other new ministers, took their oaths at Lok Bhavan. Subsequently, other TVK legislators also added party-specific slogans to their affirmations.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned the mandatory full recitation of Vande Mataram at every public event, deeming it an "unnecessary imposition." He emphasized that while the national song commands respect, forcing its complete rendition twice during short programs is difficult to justify.

Kerala's opposition leader Pinarayi Vijayan criticized the Centre and BJP, calling the full rendition of 'Vande Mataram' an RSS agenda. This follows a controversy where the BJP accused the Kerala Assembly of insulting the national song by not performing its complete version during the Governor's address.

N Marie Wilson of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), who secured a dominant victory in the Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, has been appointed to key finance, planning, and development portfolios in Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's new cabinet. Wilson's win was significant, surpassing the combined vote share of DMK and AIADMK.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expanded his cabinet, inducting Vanni Arasu from VCK and AM Shahjahan from IUML. This move strengthens coalition representation, bringing the total number of ministers to 33. The expansion follows a recent reshuffle, with key portfolios like Finance and Revenue reassigned.

A controversy erupted in Tamil Nadu over the recitation order of national and state songs during a swearing-in ceremony. The DMK criticized the Vijay government for prioritizing 'Vande Mataram' over the Tamil invocation song, accusing them of disrespecting Tamil culture and adopting BJP's politics.